A 79-year-old woman who fatally shot her terminally ill husband during a botched murder-suicide attempt in a Florida hospital has declared she would not alter her actions, despite facing prison time and ongoing probation. Ellen Gilland, from New Smyrna Beach, Florida, spoke out in a recent interview, reflecting on the tragic events that unfolded three years ago and expressing acceptance of the legal consequences.
A Fateful Pact and a Hospital Standoff
In January 2023, Gilland smuggled her husband Jerry's firearm into his hospital room in Daytona Beach, where he was receiving treatment for a terminal illness. According to her account, the couple had made an agreement three weeks prior that if his condition deteriorated, she would end his life and then her own. Gilland fired a single shot into her 77-year-old husband's head, but found herself unable to complete the suicide portion of their pact.
What followed was a tense hours-long armed standoff with law enforcement, forcing hospital staff and patients to shelter in place. Body camera footage captured officers shouting, "Tell me what's going on! I don't want to hurt you!" as Gilland, in a state of extreme distress, pointed the gun at medical personnel who entered the room. Police eventually resolved the situation by deploying a nonlethal explosive device and taking Gilland into custody.
Legal Proceedings and Emotional Fallout
Initially charged with first-degree murder, Gilland saw her charges reduced by a grand jury. She ultimately pleaded no contest to manslaughter with a firearm, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and aggravated assault of a law enforcement officer with a firearm. A judge acknowledged the murder-suicide pact but sentenced her to one year in prison followed by twelve years of probation, citing the widespread fear and disruption caused by the incident.
During her trial, a nurse testified that the trauma forced him to quit his job, as he no longer felt safe at the hospital and suffered recurring nightmares. Gilland herself described struggling in prison, suffering a heart attack just six weeks into her sentence due to stress, and spending the remainder of her incarceration in the infirmary before her release in November 2025.
Reflections on a Life-Altering Decision
In her interview with Fox 35 Orlando, Gilland insisted she had "no choice" in her actions, stating, "There wasn't anything else to do." She elaborated on her motivations, explaining, "I knew what was coming. I knew how difficult it would be to be without him. Not just my best friend, but all of the things that we did for each other..."
Gilland, who had known her husband since middle school, described him as "very supportive, very quiet, very generous. He was a lovely person." She emphasised her previously unblemished record, noting, "In the 76 years before this event happened, I had never been in trouble before in my life, and never planned to hurt anyone ever."
Life After Prison and Advocacy
Now released, Gilland is navigating life without her husband while completing court-ordered community service. She has begun working at a local animal shelter and must continue monthly service as long as she is physically able. Reflecting on her experience, she admitted, "Things didn't progress the way I would have thought they would," but maintained her stance: "I don't want people feeling sorry for me. I did what I did."
Looking forward, Gilland expressed her intention to advocate for the legalisation of assisted suicide in some form, while trying to rebuild her life. "I'm accepting the consequences," she concluded. "I have to figure out how to survive after this."
